CLACKAMAS, Ore. -- A man was tased inside the Clackamas Town Center packed with holiday shoppers late Tuesday morning, police said.

Detective Jim Strovink, with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, said a “bipolar man” was riding in a car with his with dad when he jumped out of the moving car near the mall.

Witnesses told KGW the man started pounding on windows and hitting cars in the parking lot with his hands. Then, he ran into the Clackamas Town Center where Strovink said he “engaged with” a deputy who ended up tasing him to get him under control.

The tasing happened just feet away from where kids were getting their pictures taken with Santa. Witnesses said it was a tense situation but only lasted a few minutes.

After getting tased, the suspect’s health began to deteriorate and Strovink said he was “not doing so well” and was getting special medical attention at the scene. At last report, authorities would only say that the man was "conscious and breathing."

The mall was not closed or evacuated during the brief incident, but a small section was cordoned off where the incident occurred, on the south side, near the Chili’s restaurant.